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Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown 3/24/16: A Beastly Edition

“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.

(Aired 3/24/16)

A Beastly Edition

– The opening match between WWE Divas Champion Charlotte and Sasha Banks benefited from the Boston setting for “The Boss” as the crowd seemed more revved up here than in any other segment. Becky Lynch sitting on commentary also helped push the big triple-threat WWE Divas Championship match as did Charlotte’s “Woo Revolution” pre-match promo. The in-ring action was entertaining throughout, though Lynch’s perspective on commentary was a little confusing. She stated that she’d simply be happy to take part in WrestleMania, win or lose. Why wouldn’t she have her eyes fully set on the Championship? That said, the finish was welcome since it involved physicality from all three ladies, giving Banks the lucky win and then they all hit their finishers on each other, but Banks and Lynch hit their moves on Charlotte separately. The main image was Charlotte being laid out.

– The Sheamus-Kofi Kingston match provided more advancement in the feud between The League Of Nations and WWE World Tag Team Champions, The New Day. New Day cut yet another anti-LON pre-match promo that involved too many usages of the words “Booty” and “Trash.” The match itself was exciting within its realm, the action involving the outsiders keeping it interesting enough to show LON get the momentum back, as Sheamus Brogue Kicked Kingston out of his boots nearly.

– The Usos-Ascension match was a logical bout to keep The Usos strong in their quest to stick it to the Dudley Boyz with some of their own hardwood justice with the stereo Samoan Splash.

– The backstage segment with The Dudleyz and Roman Reigns gave us both a hearty Dudley reaction to The Usos using tables and tied Reigns into Bubba Ray’s trash talking of The Usos’ family, which made sense since Reigns was defending his family now. This seemed like a logical way to go about things while changing up the usual storyline formula. At the same time, Reigns’ intensity made sense and we liked how he compared Bubba to WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H and simply wanted a fight, not a match.

– The best overall match of the show was the tag team match between Dolph Ziggler/Sami Zayn and WWE Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens/The Miz, helping push the four major players in the seven-man IC Title ladder match at Mania, while also providing entertaining interaction between Owens and Miz, also keeping up his continued avoidance of fighting Zayn one-on-one and walking out on Miz twice, the second time being pushed back into the ring by the other three competitors in the match – Zack Ryder, Sin Cara and Stardust. This came off as filler, but the match’s second half was well-done, leading to the finish where Miz hit the Skull-Crushing Finale on his own partner before getting Helluva Kicked himself. Post-match was your usual finisher exchanges ending with the strange way of Ryder being the one to leave KO down. Oh Radio?

– Despite the promising buildup. the Reigns-Bubba Ray Dudley match was purely an angle where Bubba came down trash-talking to Reigns, who went ballistic and “saw” Bubba as Triple H, walloping him in the announce table and ringside area, getting DQ’d. The Superman Punch on D-Von was for added dramatic effect and worked in the moment, but that was about it here.

– The Goldust-R-Truth backstage segment carried off their recent storyline of Goldust still not wanting to team up despite Truth’s various attempts to recruit him, this time using the punchline of them being in the bathroom as Goldust did his makeup and wrote “NO” on Truth’s forehead, as he read it in the mirror as “ON” for “It’s ON.” Sort of funny, but where is this still heading?

– The backstage segment with The Lucha Dragons and Ryback helped push the United States Champion Kalisto-Ryback feud while also having LD express their desires to leave Mania as both Champions in separate matches. Ryback’s portion of the promo was okay as far as his new character goes, but it’s s still a stretch as far as this “I don’t like short people” thing goes. At least Kalisto got the last word.

– With AJ Styles in an inevitable battle with Chris Jericho looming, it made sense to dedicate some TV time to keep him warm with a victory full of signature moves over Tyler Breeze. At the same time, poor Breeze. Maybe he’ll become a serious player later this year?

– The closing segment with Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, Dean Ambrose and The Wyatt Family was a worthy ending, giving us enough physicality between Ambrose and Lesnar, following a “money” promo from Heyman, as he got over that even though Ambrose would bring legendary weapons, Lesnar had the best weapon you could own – himself. The jab at Mick Foley/Terry Funk was also a “Oh snap!” moment. We get why they involved The Wyatts here given how Lesnar and Wyatt have crossed paths, but we actually wish they would’ve avoided this entirely. We understand The Wyatts need something to do at Mania, but why get in this? That said, Lesnar got the jaw-dropping moment of German Suplex Braun Strowman onto his head nearly and then laying out Ambrose with an F5.

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About Nicholas Jason Lopez

Just a 26 year-old Brooklynite. Nothing more, nothing less.
Currently Freelancing for The Bensonhurst Bean website in Brooklyn, he has also been published on sites such as Review Fix, College University of New York Athletic Conference, Dying Scene, Brooklyn News Service, All Media NY, BrooklynFans.com and Yahoo Voices.
He has also interned for The Home Reporter/Brooklyn Spectator based out of Brooklyn, NY.